A BC TeachersB次元官网网址� Federation survey finds that teachers are in worse health and working more in the face of B次元官网网址渃ritical personnel shortagesB次元官网网址� that are also impacting students B次元官网网址� and the union president is calling for B次元官网网址渕eaningful strategies.B次元官网网址�
These findings appear in what the BCTF calls its first annual membership survey after having asked Leger to survey teachers about their well-being and working conditions.
According to the survey, just under two-thirds of teachers report that their workload is greater now compared to a year ago. About the same report experiencing more stress this year. These conditions have reduced well-being among teachers while causing burnout with significant effects for teachers and the broader school community.
B次元官网网址淭he impacts of poor mental and physical health are felt across the public education system,B次元官网网址� it reads.
BCTF president Clint Johnston said the findings show a critical need for school districts and the provincial government to introduce what he calls B次元官网网址渕eaningful strategiesB次元官网网址� for recruiting and retaining teachers before they burn out.
B次元官网网址淭eachers are doing their best to make it work, but without significant staffing increases, the pressures on them are unsustainable,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淥ur public educators believe passionately in providing students with the best education possible and could do so much more with the full support of school districts and the B.C. government.B次元官网网址�
Johnston said government has introduced some positive hiring and training strategies for nurses, doctors and other professions that played pivotal roles during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
B次元官网网址淣ow itB次元官网网址檚 time to fix the teacher shortage,B次元官网网址� he said.
The worsening health and well-being of teachers appears against the backdrop of teacher shortages, which has a direct impact on students and other teachers.
The survey found that 81.5 per cent of teachers have been directly impacted by staffing shortages at their school or district, which leads to not only a greater workload, but also less time for preparation.
B次元官网网址淭eachers are concerned that there are gaps in student learning due to inconsistent or uncertified staffing or emergency coverage by teachers with limited subject/grade level experience.B次元官网网址�
Those shortages particularly impact students with disabilities or diverse needs as teachers find themselves unable to access the support to which students are entitled.
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The report notes that declining working conditions will also have a negative impact on recruitment and retention.
Education Minister Rachna Singh said in a statement she recognizes the challenges facing teachers following the pandemic and global labour shortages.
B次元官网网址淚n my recent conversations with the BCTF, I have heard first-hand about the work teachers do everyday to support students and while that work is very rewarding, IB次元官网网址檝e also learned about the challenges some teachers are facing.B次元官网网址�
Global labour shortages are impacting school districts across the province, Singh said, adding B.C. plans to recruit and train more teachers by adding 250 new openings in teacher education programs and streamlining certification for educators trained internationally to work in B.C.
She added the needs are different across the province. B.C. is putting forward $12.5 million through the Future Ready Skills Plan to boost rural and northern teacher recruitment, retention and training to support the recruitment and retention of Indigenous teachers.
wolfgang.depner@blackpress.ca
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